Integrating Rail and Community Transport

A lack of integration with other transport modes has been a long-standing issue for our sector. Community Transport is too often sidelined in strategic transport planning and treated in isolation when local bus, rail, tram or ferry services are being designed.

In 2021, as part of our Mapping Scotland project, we asked our CTA members in Scotland whether they felt ‘integrated with other transport networks’. Only 21% said ‘yes’.

Representing Community Transport at the Transport Committee

This week, I had the privilege of representing the Community Transport Association members at the Transport Committee’s ongoing inquiry, Buses Connecting Communities. The inquiry is investigating how areas have responded to bus service cuts, particularly through Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) and community transport solutions. It was a valuable opportunity to highlight the vital role of community transport (CT) and ensure that the voices of our members were heard at the heart of government.